Vedad Ibisevic struck twice to give VfB Stuttgart a 2-0 win over visitors Dynamo Moscow in their Europa League playoff first leg match Wednesday, consigning Dan Petrescu to defeat in his first game as Dynamo coach.
Dynamo, who have lost all five of their league games so far this season, seemed content to play deep throughout and concede possession and territory to Stuttgart, whose finishing was often wayward in only their second competitive match of the season.
Stuttgart goalkeeper Sven Ulreich had little to do as Dynamo failed to record a single shot on target.
The turning point came on 71 minutes when midfielder Tim Hoogland sent a stinging 30-yard low shot at Dynamo goalkeeper, who parried the ball into the path of Ibisevic to leave the Bosnian striker with an easy finish.
Ibisevic grabbed his second in stoppage time, when Route One play left Ibrahima Traore free on the right side of the Stuttgart box, and the Frenchman sent in a cross that Shunin palmed into the path of Ibisevic, who put the ball into the empty net with a diving header.
Only a win by three goals in the second leg in Moscow on Tuesday can send Dynamo through in normal time, while a 2-0 win for Dynamo would send the second leg to extra time.
If Stuttgart score and lose by two goals, they will progress on the away goals rule.
Dynamo had the chance to take the lead on 21 minutes, but Hungarian winger Balazs Dzsudzsak scooped the ball over the bar from close range in what was to be the Russian team’s best chance of the game.
Five minutes later, Shunin came close to giving Stuttgart the lead when he fumbled a low header from Martin Harnik, but caught the ball as it looped towards the goalline.
Ibisevic then headed into Shunin’s arms from a good position, before Harnik headed a cross from the Bosnian wide on 40 minutes.
In a largely quiet second half, the best chance apart from Ibisevic’s goal came when Stuttgart’s Arthur Boka flashed a low ball across the face of goal for Tunay Torun, but he failed to connect and the chance went begging.
On 88 minutes, Danish midfielder William Kvist tried to test Shunin with a howitzer of a 20-yard volley from a corner, but his effort flew over the Dynamo bar.
